Traversing mechanism



Nov.. 12, 1940. F. HlLLlx 2,221,349

TRAVERS ING MEcHANIsM f Patented Nov. 12, 1940 UNITED STATES TRAVERSING MECHANISMv Foster F. Hillix, Lakewood, Ohio, assigner to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey Application November 27, 1939, Serial No. 306,384

4 Claims.

This invention `relates to traversing mechanisms such as are used to move atool across the `face of a workpiece, although not limited thereto.

i In my application, Serial No. 208,661, filed May 18, 1938, andv entitledMethod and apparatus for lapping and polishing operations, there are disclosed certain'improvements relating to the art of lapping wherein very highly polished surfaces are obtained. `In the device of this prior application, there is embodied an instrumentality constructed and arranged to impart high frequency vibrations to hones. Beforethis hone may be vappliedto the surface of theworkpiece, it is frequently necessary to provide the latter with a preliminary finish whichmay be obtained by the use of a suitable abrading means.` In the device of the said prior application, the workpiece is illustrated as comprising aroll of a rolling mill `and isfrotated during `not only the application of the hones, but also during the preliminary' surfacing. Under these circumstances, and others of a similar nature, it is necessary that the preliminary surface, such as an .abrading wheel, be moved `very slowly across the surface of the workpiece 25 and at a steady and predetermined speed.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a traversing mechanism which is `highly efficient and yet` :cheap and easy to manufacture and maintain. 1 Y

`Another `object isithe provision ofA a device of the class described which may be readily installed on, and used in combination with, surfacing machines of existing design, such as the lapping device of the prior application referred to herein- 35 before.

The invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and as particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description Yand the annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this,` being indicative of but one of a number of ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed- In said annexed drawings:

`Figure 1 is `a diagrammatic elevation of the mechanism of the present invention;

IFigure 2 is a sectional elevational View on the line II- II of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a detail;

Figure 4 is an elevation, partly in section, of one of the cylinders and cooperating elements of the mechanism of the invention;

Figure `5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line VI--VI of Figure 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A generally designates a workpiece carriage to which rotative movement is imparted by 5 any suitable means, such as` an electric motor B.

A workpiece C is carried by the workpiece carriage A and suitably rotated thereby; being shown in the present instance as comprising a metalworking roll of a cold-reducing rolling mill, al- 10 though it will be understood by those skilled in the art that any other workpiece may be substituted therefor, and that the traversing mechanism of the invention is susceptible of many other uses.

Alongside of the workpiece carriage A, and accordingly the workpiece C, thereis disposed a rail D on which there is slidably mounted a support E. 'Ihis support E carries a suitable abrading device, such as an abrading wheel, preferably of the type disclosed in my patent application, Serial No. 229,196,1iled September 9, 1938, and entitled Abrading wheel.

Adjacent each of the ends of the rail D there is disposed a vertical metallic tube, the one on the left hand end being designated at 2 and the one on the right hand end being designated at 3. Referring mo-re particularly to Figure 1, the cylinder 2 is secured to a suitable base which is disposed below the floor. The top `of the vertical metallic tube 2 carries a plug 6 having an opening adjacent which there is a pulley 9. Within the vertical metallictube 2- there is a movable weight Il having a rope I2V secured to the upper end thereof. i This rope I2 is directed through 35 the aperture in the plug 6 around the pulley 9 and toward the vertical metallic tube 3. Intermediate the ends of the vertical metallic tube 2, and on the right hand side thereof, there is an aperture I4 immediately adjacent which there is a hook l5. This hook l5 carries a pin IB which may be inserted in the aperture I4 in order to support the weight I I` in the upper end of the vertical metallic tube for a purpose which will be later described. 1 4

Referring again to Figure 4, the vertical metallic tube 3 is suitably mounted in the oor in the mannerof the vertical metallic tube 2. Within the vertical metallic tube 3 there is disposed a cross bar 22 to which there is suitably connected `50 a pair of spaced vertically extending guide bars 23. These guide bars 23 are connected at the top -of the vertical metallic tube 3 by,means of a plug 25. This plug 25 carries a pulley 26 over which the rope |12 is directed, the latter passing 55 provided with an aperture 31 for accommodating v one of the guide bars 23. The Aadjacent end of the rope l2 is secured to the ring 29 which is mounted on the inner metallic tube 3B adjacent the horizontally extending bars 3|. A piston 40 is disposed in the inner metallic tube 35 and has secured thereto a vertically extending piston rod 4l which is connected to the plug 25 at the upper end of the vertical metallic tube 3. This piston rod 4l is tubular and carries therewithin a needle valve, generally designated at 42, which is coniined at '.the upper end by a stuiiing box 43.

The plug 35 in the lower end of the inner metallic tube 3D is sealed therein, as` by sweating, to provide an air tight chamber.

The lower end of the hollow piston rod4|l carries a thimble 41 providing a sleeve 45 which is telescoped within the former. The lower extremity of this thimble 41 is screw threaded, as shown at 55, in order to carry a nut 5i having an extension 52 of reduced externaldiameter. Between the extension 5,2 of the nut 5l and an intermediate flange portion 53 on the thirnble 41 there is carried a cup leather 55 which fits snugly within the inner vertical metallic tube 55.

Referring more particularly to Figure 5, immediately beneath rthe' cup leather 55 there is a metallic spring 55 having a downwardly turned iiange 51 terminating in a serrated edge 55. This spring 55 applies pressure to the flange 50 of the cup leather 55, thereby making it possible for the cup leather to obtain a tight working fit in the inner vertical metallic tube 30. Immediately above the cup leather 55 and between it and the annular flange 53 on the thimble 41 there is a washer 52 which confines the cup leather 55 in its proper position. vImmediately beneath the vcup leather 55 there is disposed a washer l54 which holds the cup leather 55 and the metallic spring 55 in proper position. y

Immediately beneath the Washer 64 there is v disposed a washer 56 which is free to operate rwithin a limited distance, thereby enabling iiuid to pass readily through suitable aligned` aper tures 1,5 in thev washer 52, cup leather 55, metal lic spring 55 and washer 54 when the cup leather 55 is being pulled upwardly in the vertical metallic tube Si). This, in turn, allows the oil to read-v ily transfer from the upper side of the cup leather v55 to the lower side thereof.

The thirnble 41 lprovides Va small bore 15 which extends upwardly and terminates adjacent theupper suriaceof the annular iiange 53. This small bore 'i5 communicates with a concentric but larger bore ,16 andthe termination yof the latter provides an annular shoulder 18 for a pur pose which will be later described.

Within the hollow piston rod 4l .in the ver-tical inner metallic tube 35 there is disposed the rod of the needle valve, generally designated at 42, which terminates at its lower'end in a needle 19 which fits against the annular shoulder 18 formed at the lower end of the larger bore 15 of the thimble 4,1. vThe lower end of the rod of the rneedlev valve, generallyl designated at 42, extends,

through and screw threadedly engages, the sleeve 48, thus providing for the relative movement of the needle 19 with respect to the hollow piston rod 4l, and, accordingly, the seating and unseating of the needle 19.

Immediately above the lower end of the hollow piston rod 4| there is provided a series of radial apertures lvwhich extend through the sleeve 43 of the thimble 41 and, accordingly, communicate with the larger bore 15 of the latter.

Slidably mounted upon the lower end of the hollow piston rod 4l there'is a sleeve 81 having an integral ear` 89 to which there is pivotally connected a vertically extended rod 5i?. This vertically extending rod 90 projects through the plug 25 in the upper end of the vertical metallic tube 3 and is lprovided with a `suitable handle portion Si. By sliding on the hollow piston rod 4l, it will be readily observed that the sleeve 81 will, when in proper position, close the radial apertures 85 in .the'hollow piston rod 4I and thereby discontinue communication with the larger bore 15 in the thimble 41. When the 'sleeve 81 is in such position that the apertures throughV which there extends the rod of the needle valve, generally indicated at 42.

In operation:V Referring more particularly to Figure 1, let it be assumed that the weight Il is in the upper portion of the vertical metallic tube 2 and that the pin I6 is protruding through the aperture or hole I4, thus supporting the weight ll in its uppermost position. If the pin I6 is removed, the force of gravity will tend to cause the weight ll in the metallic tube 2 to descend. This', of course, will be resisted by the rope l2 and the mechanism disposed within the hollow vertical tube 3. If the piston between the cup 'leather 55 and the associated instrurnentalities fit tightly in the vertical metallic tube 30pyressure will build up in the chamber and all motion willstop if all of the valves and vents areclosed.

If at this time thehandle SI1 on the rod 50 be raised, to carry withit the sleeve 81 and thereby open the radial apertures 85, cil will start to leak:

from beneath the cup leather 55 and go into the space above the same. This rate of leakage will be controlled bythe amount of opening of the needle 19 which, as previously stated, is controlled by the lever on the upper end of the rod of the needle Valve, generally designated at 42. time the inner vertical lmetallic tube 30 will start to move upwardly over the cup leather 55 and the associated instrumentalities; and this, in turn, will give an equal amount of rope I2 tothe left hand mechanism which is contained within the vertical metallic tube 2; thereby permitting the weight l l to move downwardly- In view of the fact that only a constant `amount of oil is in the inner metallic vertical tube 30 in' At this fers from beneath the piston and the cup leather 55 and associated instrumentalities to a position 'above the latter, and thisallows the inner metallic vertical tube 30 to move upwardly over the l present invention can be attached to said rope and the desired result obtained. In the present instance, the device intended to be traversed is, as previously pointed out, a support E for an abrading wheel F. Therefore, the support E is suitably clamped to the rope I2. After the traverse has been accomplished, in the present instance from one end of the roll C to the other, the operator merely disconnects the rope I2 from the upper end of the weight I I after the latter has been elevated to the top of the vertical metallic tube 2 and held in this position by means of the pin I 6.

The operator then restores the device to be traversed (i. e. the abrading wheel F) to its original position and connects the rope I2 to the upper end of the Weight II and the operation is repeated. In the meantime, the rope I2 will be slowly traveling at a predetermined speed.

This process can continue until the operator notices that he would not have enough travel to' make a traverse. At this time, the operator grasps the opposed horizontally extending bars 3| which are carried on the upper end of the inner vertical metallic tube 3U and pulls down on the` same with a force equal to the weight II plus an amount of power to overcome friction of the parts. Immediately the operator starts to move the inner tube 30 downwardly, the valve afforded by the washer 66 leaves its seat,thereby opening the apertures I0 in the cup leather 55 and associated instrumentalities. When these apertures open, the oil readily runs through the cup leather 55, etc. and allows the piston formed thereby to move to the top of the inner tube 30. Ihat is to say, this is only a relative term, inasmuch as the piston formed by the cup leather 55 actually remains stationary but the cylinder slides over the same.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of the present invention, it will be seen that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications maybe made Without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A traversing mechanism comprising, in combination, a weight adapted for substantially vertical movement, a remotely disposed fluid check device, said Weight being capable of overcoming said fluid check device, flexible means connecting said fluid check device and said weight, said fluid device comprising a fluid cylinder, a piston in y said fluid cylinder, said piston having a fluid passage through its center, a series of fluid passages disposed radially with respect thereto, means for closing said first-named fluid passage, and separate means for closing said second-named fluid passage. l

2. A traversing mechanism comprising, in combination, a weight adapted for substantially vertical movement, a remotely disposed fluid check device, said weight being capable of overcoming said fluid check device, flexible means connecting said fluid check device and said Weight, said fluid device comprising a fluid cylinder, apiston in said fluid cylinder, said piston having a iluid passage through its center, a series of fluid passages disposed radially with respect thereto, means for closing said first-named iluid passage,and separate means for closing said second-named fluid passage, said last-named means having an adjustable control. y

3. A traversing mechanism comprising, in combination, a weight adapted for substantially vertical movement, a remotely disposed fluid check device, said weightr being capable of overcoming said fluid check device, flexible means connecting said fluid check device and said weight, said fluid device comprising a stationary fluid piston, a movable fluid cylinder secured to said flexible connecting means, said stationary fluid piston having a center aperture, a plurality of radially disposed apertures, an adjustable valve for closing said central aperture, and one Way valve means for closing said radially disposed apertures.

4. A traversing mechanism comprising, in combination, a weight adapted for substantially vertical movement, a remotely disposed fluid check device, said weight being capable of overcoming said fluid check device, flexible means connecting said fluid check device and said weight, said fluid device comprising a stationary fluid piston having a central aperture and a series of radially disposed apertures, a hollow piston rod connected to said stationary fluid piston, said hollow piston rod having radially disposed apertures for communicating with said central apertures, a valve for closing said last named radial apertures, an adjustable valve for the center aperture in said fluid piston, one way valve means for the radial apertures in said stationary fluid piston, and a movable fluid cylinder, said movable fluid cylinder being secured to said flexible connecting means. Y.

` FOSTER F. HILLIX. 

